Handwheel



' J. w. LEE

Aug. 9, 1927.`

n HANDWHEEL Orignal Filed Deo. 14 1922 PatentedAuga 1927.

PATENT oFFlcE'.

JOHN WESLEY LEE, oEnaYToN, omo, AssI'eNoE To THE INLAD'OMANUEACTUEING COMPANY, or DAYTON, omo, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

HANDWHEEL Application led December. 14, 19522, Serial No. 606,931. vRenewed Hay 7, 1925.

This invention relates to handwheels, especially such as are ordinarily employed as steering wheels on motor vehicles and boats or the like. f

Anobject of this invention is to provide a very strong and efficientdlandwheel of good appearance and yet of such simple design. that it can be manufactured cheaply.

It has been heretofore proposed, to use a l Wood rim with a pressed metal spider; however in all such previous designs the spider has been made u of a number of parts which had to beriveted or welded together to forin a'rigid stru ture.' According to this i invention the spi arms are allv formed froman integralpiece of sheet metal and the hub is rigidly secured to the spider by the sheet. metal being firmly pressed against and around certain portions of the hub.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent Ifrom the' following description, reference being vhad to the accompanying drawings,where1n preferred forms of embodiment of the present invention are clearly shown.

In :the drawings: A l

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a'Wheel-made according to thisinvention.

f Fi 2 is a section through the center line of Fig. 1 but showing` portions of the spokes in elevation. 1-

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3l3 of Fig. 1. Fig. tis 'a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1..

Fig. 5 shows the-shape of the sheet metal before it is bent down around the hub (shown in dotted lines) to form the spider.

In the drawings, like or similar reference characters refer to like or similar parts throughout the several views;

To form the spider apiece of sheet metal v10` of the shape shown in Fig. 5 is' first cut out. A hub l1 is preferably formed of cast metal and is provided with a sleeve portion 14 adapted to fit over a steering column and a flanggportion 12 whichhas a plurality of 4Hpurojrectioi-liesponding-`to the `.spokes Y of the spider.

. The hub 11 is placed in the 'relative-position shown in Fig. 5 with the sheet metal form 10 andthe sheet metal pressedadown around the flange portion 12. 'The sheet metal spokes 16 are folded over tobox sec-v tion, the inner ends 'of these box sectionsbeing folded tightly about the hubprojecti'ons provided in the surfaces 15 'for the same.

purpose. It will be noted that no rivets or kother similar means are necessary to hold the hubsecurely in place and therefore the.-

central portion of the spider presents a very Well finished and neat ap earance.

The ends 20 of the spo es 16 arev curved back as shown in Fig. 2 to conform to the shape of the rim 21 to which they are se cured preferably Iby Wood screws 22. The ends 20 are preferably turned back abruptly so'that they abutand are backed up by the flanges of the box section of the 'spoke 16, thereby giving a more rigid construction.

While the forms of mechanisms herein shown and described, constitute vpreferred forms f embodiment of the present invention. it is to be' understood that other forms might be ado ted, all coming Within thel the st-ar points'ofesaid star-shaped flange and having other portions bent down and pressed firmly against the vertical surfaces of the points.u

concave portions extending between the starv a onepiece sheet metaistampin said huh emi having integral overlying x-section spokes bent up therefrom so that each spoke from en@ ironed up into tight contact with mesme said concave web rtions between sai.

spokes whereby sai concave web portionsa are concealed. v

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.`

y JOHN WESLEY LEE'. 

